There are so many reasons why I love to call Indiana my home. The people, the opportunities, the entertainment – I could go on. As a Fort Wayne native, I’ve grown up to see the amazing progress the city has made over my lifetime. What’s crazy to think about is the changes made even before the start of my lifetime. December 11th marks 200 years of Indiana’s statehood. The Allen County Task Force has put together several events to honor this important year. One of these includes a collaboration by the Mad Ants, Fort Wayne’s minor league basketball team, and Heartland Sings, a company of professional vocal artists and ensembles based in Fort Wayne. To celebrate the bicentennial, the Mad Ants and Heartland Sings present a community event that’s fun for all ages. On December 10th during half-time at the Mad Ants basketball game, the vocalists of Heartland Sings will lead everyone in singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” on a live radio broadcast! The idea behind the collaboration is to bring everyone together, music lovers and sports fans alike, in a last hoorah of the bicentennial festivities. Don’t know the words? No sweat. The lyrics will be projected so everyone can participate. Not a singer? No one expects you to be. Just have fun with it! After rooting on the team for the second half of the game, stay for a show featuring the vocalists of Heartland Sings! They’ll be performing music originally by Indiana musicians and composers like Michael Jackson and Hoagy Carmichael and holiday tunes to get you in the mood for the season. The concert will last about a half-hour, so kiddos in attendance can still get to bed at a reasonable time after the fun. To join in on the celebration and attend the concert, you must have admittance to the game. Tip off is at 7:00pm at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Buy your Mad Ants tickets online here for $5. Group discount rates are available by contacting the Mad Ants directly at (260) 469-HOOP. Also, make sure to check out Heartland Sings on Facebook, Instagram, and their website and the Mad Ants on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram....

Can you believe the Mad Ants have been in Fort Wayne for ten years already? John Zeglis and Jeff Potter started the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in 2007 and sold it to the Indiana Pacers this year as part of the NBA Development League in affiliation with the Indiana Pacers. It is now run by Timothy Bawman, President of the Mad Ants franchise. I had the pleasure of speaking with Bawman about the Mad Ants 10th season anniversary. This season, we are going to see more of the influence of the Indiana Pacers over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as well as plenty of “Ant”-ertainment for everyone to enjoy! The name “Mad Ants” came from “Mad” Anthony Wayne, the namesake of Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne Mad Ants play in the NBA Development League (D-League), which is the highest level of minor league basketball in the United States. Players can be playing for the Indiana Pacers one day and the next be playing for the Mad Ants. One of these players is Rakeem Christmas. Some alumni of the Mad Ants are Ron Howard (Mr. Mad Ant), CJ Fair of the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, and Dahntay Jones of the Los Angeles Clippers. Some players to look out for this season are two former Indiana University basketball players: Christian Watford, who scored the winning shot against the University of Kentucky in 2011 and Nick Zeisloft. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum houses the the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and has been upgraded for the upcoming season. The franchise has changed the experience of going to a game at the Coliseum with more intimate seating arrangements in the arena and Kid Zone. They have also added a Drum Line and plenty of giveaways! What is “Ant”-ertainment? Face-painting, games, and half-time shows are just a few of what the Mad Ants has in store for this season for the whole family. For someone who’s never been to a game, be aware that there will be plenty of Mad Ants swag such as bobbleheads, replica championship rings, hats, and t-shirts! “You don’t have to be a basketball fan to enjoy the Mad Ants,” Bawman said. “We have plenty of Ant-ertainment for the whole family.” The Mad Ants has been in Fort Wayne since 2007 and have been very active in the community. Being a title sponsor of the Urban League, they have also sponsored Empowering Men and Brilliant Girls of the Boys and Girls club and several reading initiatives within the area and they don’t plan on stopping. “There will be plenty of that [community involvement] as time goes on,” Bawman said. The Mad Ants feel...